LSU notches most lopsided victory in series since 2000

In its only trip to Turchin Stadium this season, LSU (23-2, 5-1 SEC) scored early and often in a 14-1 demolition of Tulane (14-13, 2-1 C-USA).

The game was called after eight innings, and it was the most lopsided contest in the series since LSU beat the Wave 21-6 in 2000.

The Tigers put up a five spot in the top of the first inning, marking the fifth straight game LSU has broken through in the opening frame. Then, LSU tallied four more in the next three innings to practically put the game out of reach in the blink of an eye.

“We played really well tonight. We got a lot of clutch hits in the first inning,” said LSU head coach Paul Mainieri. “…It was a good win for us. Any time you can come to New Orleans and win a game against Tulane you have to feel good about it.”

After winning SEC Player of the Week honors, freshman shortstop Alex Bregman kept his hot bat going with a 4-for-4 showing in New Orleans Tuesday night. He scored three runs and drove in another.

Bregman has now cranked at least three hits in five straight games, and he’s an unbelievable 16-for-his-last-23.

“When you make consistent contact, and you have a good swing, you don’t just hit lazy fly balls, sometimes those ground balls find holes,” Mainieri explained. “Obviously he’s been very fortunate. Some balls have found holes, but he’s hit some balls hard too. The kid is just flat out a really good hitter, and good hitters, they always seem to find that open pasture.”

His magnificence overshadowed a tremendous homecoming for senior Mason Katz in what figures to be his final game in the city where he attended high school. The former Jesuit Blue Jay went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored.

Then in the eighth, a split squad between Tiger reserves and starters added five more runs. LSU finished the contest with a whopping 15 hits.

“Every time we left a ball up in the zone – and we left a lot of balls up in the zone – they didn’t miss their chance,” said Tulane coach Rick Jones. “They got great swings. They barreled a lot of balls. They made some hard outs, and they just kept putting the pressure on.”

In his third start of the year, he picked up his first win and first decision by giving up just four hits, one walk and one unearned run in seven innings.

“I thought Russell really settled down there about the third or fourth inning and threw the ball really well, threw some really good changeups and started pounding the zone,” said LSU’s skipper. “He looked a little nervous at the beginning of the game, but I’m sure having that lead helped him out a lot.”

Tulane’s only run came on a Richard Carthon ground out to score Sean Potkay in the second. The Wave left the bases juiced in the final two innings of the game and scored neither time.

“[LSU is] a really talented club. They’re a veteran club. They’re one of the top two or three clubs in the country, and we were out of the ballgame before we ever really got it going,” said Jones.

Both teams hit the road this weekend as LSU travels to Missouri and Tulane takes on Rice.